Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Litla, a Little Shawl

After all that holiday knitting I think a quick selfish knitting project is in order:


Introducing Litla, a little shawl. She is knit out of 2 skeins of Superwash Bulky in color Ginn. The pattern is part of the Beautiful Wreck Collection by Larissa Brown. 


I had one of my trusty sample knitters knit it up this last fall and I finally got just the right light to show it off. It is so cozy! I just want to snuggle with it!


Kits are now available in the shop with a 10% discount on the yarn! Pick one up and start the New Year out right!

Monday, December 29, 2014

Year of the Scarf

Happy Holidays to everyone! We had a wonderful Christmas, now onto a wonderful new year! This year I ended up making quite a few scarves as gifts. 


First up is a scarf for my mom. Linen Stitch (rav link) scarves have been very popular lately and I thought I would finally jump on board the band wagon and knit one up! I had a lot of fun picking out the colors for it. I started with red Alpaca Sox from my stash and then matched it with a skein of Blue Moon Silky Socks That Rock in color Hollydays, which I have been saving for something special. The finishing touch was a ball of Paillettes, which have been very popular at my LYS. They give the little sequin sparkles you can just barely make out in the photo. I love them a lot. I knit until I ran out of the Paillettes and then knit an extra row of the Alpaca Sox and then did the bind off. It was a fun mostly mindless knit that went nicely with a busy holiday season. 


Next up I wove this lovely blue scarf (rav link) for a friend of mine. The warp was originally intended to be something else, but I had a sudden vision for this scarf and knew it would be perfect for my friend. The warp was Alpaca Silk Lace in Natural. The weft was  ball of Mini Mochi from my stash. I really love how the color shifts throughout the scarf. It was really fun to weave. I got it done just in time for the class I was teaching. 



Lastly, for the weaving class I taught, I had my husband pick out a skein of yarn from my stash to weave a scarf. He picked out Blue Moon Socks That Rock in limited edition color Doctors Without Borders. I wasn't really attracted to this skein in my stash, though I enjoyed buying it for a good cause. I really love it woven up. it surprised me how lovely it turned out. It looks like faux plaid. It went in my husband's stocking, even though he knew what it was. He has tried it on and hopefully it will help keep his neck warm this winter. I might have to play with some more sock yarn in my stash and see what other awesome scarves I can weave!

I have more projects to share, just need to get them photographed now that they have been unwrapped! Also, new colorways coming in 2015! I'm so excited to share all sorts of things here on the blog!

Monday, December 15, 2014

BFL Hoody

I knit this hoody based off the one I knit for my son ages ago for a friend of mine.



I love this pattern so much, I think I'm going to have to knit another one for my son in a bigger size. My kids are so skinny I can often knit them patterns in smaller sizes and just add length. This one comes from Debbie Bliss's book Design It, Knit It: Babies and is called simply the Hooded Pullover (rav link). The yarn is Debbie Bliss Blue Faced Leicester Aran. When I first picked it up I wasn't sure if it would be soft enough, but knitting with it was really nice. Then when I blocked it, the yarn became extra soft. It's also machine washable, which I know from experience, is very important when knitting for little boys.

Monday, December 01, 2014

Happy December!

Welcome to December! Can you believe it's only 3 more weeks to Christmas? I can't! So here is what I have done to help you out!


I have created a Holiday Gift Guide that fits just about everyone on your list! You are sure to find some great inspirations there! Now I am off to knit like the wind, Christmas is coming!

Friday, November 28, 2014

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

BW: Lichen Shawl

When I created the 5 colorways for Beautiful Wreck I never thought that I would fall so in love with one particular color. That colorway being Betta. As you may have noticed, I am a purple sort of girl. I also love a lot of greens and blues. Oranges, browns, and golds usually not much at all. However, that changed when I made this colorway. It just is so earthy and breathtaking. I want to knit everything out of it!



So, when Larissa Brown suggested we knit up a few of her shawls inspired by the book out of my new colorways, I instantly knew I needed to have a Lichen Shawl out of Betta. After all, different lichens are just what Betta used to dye with. 

I also couldn't help draping said shawl around the beautiful oak tree in my yard. Doesn't it look like it just belongs there?


The yarn I chose for this project is the new MIO Columbia Sport. Grown right here in Oregon and then dyed by me. It makes for a gorgeous combination. It reminds me of the golden hills of Eastern Oregon, much like the area where this wool was grown. Best of all, it only takes a single skein!


I also decided not to block the shawl as vigorously as the pattern shows. I liked the slight curl of the edges, because it looked more like lichen to me. As you can see it can be worn a variety of different ways. Kits are available in the shop and are ready to ship out today!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! I plan on spending mine knitting and getting ready for the holidays! Don't forget: Luxury Yarn Sale ends on Sunday!

Monday, November 24, 2014

BW: From the Fields Shawl

I'm pretty excited to finally have up on the website a collection of patterns designed by Larissa Brown while she was writing the book Beautiful Wreck. I have had a couple of the patterns knit up in colorways inspired by the book too. 



The first one is From the Fields in Cashmere Blend (MCN) Sock color: Har. It uses only 1 skein! 

I love the back panel and how it looks like waving wheat in the wind.



Then the front has another panel of lace, which folds around the front.  


When I spoke to Larissa Brown about the pattern, she said the shape is designed so it won't fall off your shoulders. It simply wraps around and sits there. Which means you don't have to use a shawl pin to keep it on! Though, I think it would look stunning with any of the Plover Copper Shawl pins.

This is a perfect holiday project. Knit it for a special someone or for yourself! Also available in kits, perfect for the love one, who can make their own!

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Epic Saga Hat

It all started with Larissa Brown's wonderful book Beautiful Wreck. I was inspired to dye colorways based on the characters from her books. Then I made little mini skein sets of 5 colorways. I got to thinking, what is a project that would use up all 5 mini skeins? This is what I came up with:


The Epic Saga Hat. It starts at the ocean, then goes through fields of wheat, and then on through mountain peaks. The motifs I used are based off of traditional Icelandic sweaters. It was a joy to design and an adventure to knit!


So, start an epic journey of your own and knit this hat today! It will be an adventure you never forget!

Monday, November 17, 2014

Dolly

Quite a few years ago I bought a copy of Jess Hutchison's Unusual Toys for you to Knit and Enjoy. The book has since gone out of print. I have held onto it, knowing I would knit something from it someday. 



Today is the day! I knit this little dolly (rav link) for my cousin's daughter. It was a lot of fun and knit up quickly. I think I might need to make a couple more of these. The only thing I added was the hair. I doubled Dale of Norway Baby Ull for the yarn and went down to a size #6US needle for the slightly finer gauge. The reason I did this was because I had the yarn in my stash and it was flesh colored, which is actually pretty hard to find. I also only used a single strand for the border around the dress, because the ruffle kept coming out too big. Overall, I love this little dolly. It's just the right size for little hands to hold onto.



Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Hats for the Kids

So after Spinzilla I had all this handspun yarn. Winter is coming, so I whipped out a couple of hats for the kiddos. 


I love simple hats that go right over the ears. 


These were fun and fast and a big hit with the kids! They both loved them and didn't want to take them off once they were on their heads. Hopefully they will keep them warm all through the winter!

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Mom's Ocean Shawl

The shawls actual name is Nymphalidea (rav link). It is named for a butterfly wing. While I agree the pattern does look like a butterfly I wanted to make it out of blue and white like the ocean for my mom now that she is living in Hawaii.


I really love how it turned out! The blue yarn is by Trendsetter and claims on the tag to be 100% mink. I personally think it has a little silk in it to keep the fibers together. I got it last fall when I went to Seattle. I thought it was fitting because my mother grew up outside of Seattle and her grandparents raised mink. So it is a mink stole! The white is some of my Cashmere Blend (MCN) Sock yarn. Both mixed together nicely and the shawl is super soft. Just perfect for wrapping around one's shoulders on a cool Hawaiian evening. 


Here it is out blocking. The shape is really interesting to me, like a wingspan. I can see a couple different ways to wear it. I believe my mother will probably hang it on the wall over the corner of a picture or something. She always finds fun ways to display shawls and scarves.

Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Holiday Gift Guide


Need some holiday inspiration this year? I just posted up the Holiday Gift Guide! I'll be posting more to it throughout the season, so make sure to check it often! It has great gift ideas for all price levels! Inspirations to knit and inspirations to give!

Monday, November 03, 2014

Luxury Yarn Sale!

I'm happy to announce a Luxury Yarn Sale for the month of November!


Angora Lace, Cashmere DK, Alpaca Silk Lace, and Chunky Baby Alpaca are all 25% off! Make sure to check them all out before they are gone!

Monday, October 20, 2014

Spinzilla Finale!

I finished up Spinzilla with a 6456 yards! Not bad for a week, while being a full time mom!


I really had fun with this event, as I do every year. Now we are just waiting for final results! Our team did such a good job this year. Fingers crossed we made #1!


Wednesday, October 08, 2014

Spinzilla Week



Spinzilla is this week and I am spinning up a storm! I have 8lbs currently laid out ready to spin. So far I have spun about 1 1/2 lbs! We'll see if I can do it all!

Friday, September 26, 2014

Photo Friday: Wavelength


We are setting up today for Oregon Flock & Fiber! We are in a new location in the Main Building! Make sure to stop by and say hi!

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Turntable Wrap

Another new pattern to the shop is the Turntable Wrap by Hillary Smith Callis.


It really does look like a turn table with ridges much like your favorite song captured on vinyl. I just had to pair it with a Copper Treble Clef shawl pin. The yarn is MIO Columbia Sport in colors Moss and Raven Storm. It knits up like a dream in this pattern. I just want to snuggle up in this shawl and listen to my favorite tunes!

See it in person this weekend at Oregon Flock and Fiber! We are in a new location in the Main Building. No more rain for us!

Monday, September 22, 2014

Wizzo

Wizzo is a new fantastic pattern by Lee Meredith. I'm really excited to carry it in the shop!


What makes it so exciting? Well it is actually a pretty simple shape to knit, but because of the placement of holes and buttons there is a myriad of ways to wear it. 


As you can see I had a lot of fun playing with it. The yarn is my Superwash Bulky in color Poppy Field. My friend Michelle knit it up for me she said she really loved the yarn. It was a super fast knit. It takes only 2 skeins of bulky yarn for the small size (shown) and 4 for the large size. Plus you get a 10% discount on yarn when you order them all together.


I went with simple buttons because the colors are so bold. I think it would also look really stunning in subtler colors and fancy buttons. Actually any which way you make this will be fabulous! You can't go wrong.


I'll have it on display at Oregon Flock and Fiber this next weekend, so if you are attending, make sure to stop by the booth and play with it in person. It's lots of fun! We'll be in a new location inside, out of the weather, in the Main Building!

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Thrums Class!


Remember these? My friend Jill is teaching an awesome class at Knot Another Hat on these very booties! She taught me how to thrum in a single afternoon and now you have the chance to take it too! Every class comes with yarn and fiber included! The fiber is the MIO Pencil Roving, which I think is the best thing ever. In fact if you are looking for Pencil Roving Knot Another Hat just bought out everything I have! So make sure to talk to them! I'll dye more, don't worry, but it probably won't be until sometime in October. 

I am also teaching Finesse Your Weaving in November, which will go over fine tuning your weaving from beginning to end. So if you would like to take a class with me I would be delighted to meet you!

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Clair de Lune

Now back to knitting and projects and more!


This is the Clair de Lune Shawl. My friend Paula knit it for me for the booth, but left me to block it. I was happy to do it! Each one of the picots is pinned out. It actually takes less time than you think. I started in the middle and then did halves until it was all done. 


Here is the top view. Isn't it beautiful? I just love the intricate lace panel detail. 


Here is the whole thing. It is knit out of the new Yakkity Yak Sock Yarn in colors Owen and Moss. So not only is it gorgeous to look at, it is gorgeous to wrap yourself up in!



Here it is decoratively styled with a Plover Designs Treble Clef Shawl Pin. It's taken me this long to get it up in the shop because it was an instant hit at Black Sheep and I sold out of all of my patterns. Not to worry, I have more in stock now and plenty for Oregon Flock and Fiber. So, make sure to stop by the booth and check out this stunning shawl in person!

Monday, September 08, 2014

Fetching Mitts

Last week or so my husband had a conference at work. One of his coworkers is from Dublin, Ireland. She likes to bring things for the people she is visiting and asked Blair what she could bring for me. I, of course, mentioned yarn and pointed her to the very nice yarn shop we visited when over there. She isn't a knitter herself, so asked for color and yarn ideas. Thankfully they have a Uniquely Irish section on their website and I picked out some Soft Donegal Tweed and gave her some colors ideas.


So, of course, if she is going to bring me yarn, I knew I had to make her a little something. So, I whipped out a pair of Fetching Mitts (rav link) in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran from my stash. She likes dark colors, blacks and navy, so I thought she would like them. She did! She said my knitting was very even and that she would have to hide them from her sister. =) I'm glad they were well received and it's also quite an honor to have my knitting go all the way back to Ireland. We are thinking we might just need to make another trip over there sometime!

Wednesday, September 03, 2014

Baby Bear Hat

Projects have been flying off the needles these past couple weeks. 


I knit up this really quick bear hat (rav link) for some friends of ours who are expecting a baby at the end of October. I thought I had plenty of time, but they got a really good job offer in Wisconsin so are moving right now! As we speak they are on their way. I was so happy I got to meet up with them before they went and get this wee little hat to them. I hope it will keep their new wee one warm and happy in their new home!

Monday, September 01, 2014

Beautiful Wreck Mini Skeins

One of the new things I am doing with the Beautiful Wreck Collection is Mini Skeins. I love these little bitty skeins of joy!


See what I mean? These are out of MIU Superwash Sock. I have a few sets ready to ship. So if you order them today, they should ship out today! I'll also have them at Oregon Flock & Fiber if you want to see them in person. 

Friday, August 29, 2014

BW: Brosa



Brosa is Heirik's brother. He is blond haired blue eyed, typical sexy Viking. His calling is for the sea. For his colors I brought in the blues in the sea, but went lighter to go with his fair coloring.

You can find his yarn and those of the other characters from Beautiful Wreck here: http://www.lavendersheep.com/shop/bwreck.html